AI Engineer/Data Scientist

About The Company Commercial Bank of California (CBC) is the largest Latino-owned bank in California and a certified Minority Depository Institution (MDI). Established in 2003 and headquartered in Irvine, CBC has grown to become one of the largest privately held banks in the state, managing assets exceeding $3.5 billion as of December 2025. The bank is dedicated to fostering long-term relationships and delivering innovative, personalized banking solutions tailored to community needs. As a purpose-driven financial institution, CBC emphasizes empowering entrepreneurs, business owners, and community leaders to thrive economically. Its leadership team reflects the diverse communities it serves, reinforcing its commitment to financial inclusion and social impact. Recognized as a certified MDI, CBC actively advances economic opportunities and promotes trust, collaboration, and community engagement. The bank's core philosophy revolves around putting people over profits, redefining the traditional banking model through community focus and relationship-driven service. About The Role The AI Engineer/Data Scientist at CBC will play a pivotal role in designing, developing, and deploying advanced AI solutions within the bank's financial services ecosystem. This full-time, exempt position offers the flexibility of remote or hybrid work arrangements and is based in Irvine, CA. The successful candidate will lead efforts to integrate AI technologies to automate and optimize banking operations, enhance customer experiences, and ensure compliance with regulatory standards. The role involves bridging complex data science with scalable software engineering, utilizing Azure AI Foundry to build secure, high-performance models. A primary focus will be on Intelligent Automation—replacing manual workflows with AI-driven agents and large language models (LLMs). The candidate will collaborate with cross-functional teams, including cybersecurity, data engineering, and business units, to deliver impactful AI solutions that adhere to banking regulations and industry best practices. Ownership of the entire AI development lifecycle—from initial ideation and prototyping to deployment, monitoring, and continuous improvement—is essential for success in this role. Qualifications • 7+ years of experience in AI/ML engineering or data science, with a minimum of 10+ years in IT engineering • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Data Science, or related field • Proven expertise in Deep Learning, Large Language Models, Prompt Engineering, RAG architectures, and model fine-tuning • Hands-on experience with Azure AI Foundry, Azure Machine Learning, and Azure OpenAI Service • Proficiency with AI tooling such as Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, LangChain, and LlamaIndex • Expert-level programming skills in Python (PyTorch, TensorFlow, Scikit-learn) and SQL • Experience with MLOps, CI/CD pipelines, containerization (Docker/Kubernetes), and API development (FastAPI/Flask) • Knowledge of financial data structures, risk management, transaction monitoring, and legacy system integration is a plus • Strong understanding of real-time fraud detection architectures and conversational AI for banking applications • Certifications such as Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102) or Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100) are preferred Responsibilities • Design and implement end-to-end AI pipelines using Azure AI Foundry, including complex workflows, RAG systems, and deploying large language models • Establish best practices for prompt engineering, responsible AI, and model fine-tuning across the organization • Identify high-value banking processes for automation, such as loan origination, regulatory reporting, customer service, and compliance monitoring • Develop AI solutions for manual processes like KYC, credit scoring, and fraud detection using agents and RAG architectures • Leverage AI tools like Claude Code and other developer-centric platforms to accelerate development cycles and ensure high code quality • Evaluate and optimize LLMs such as GPT-4, Claude 4, and Llama 3 for financial applications, ensuring compliance and accuracy • Collaborate with cybersecurity teams to implement secure AI deployments aligned with GDPR, CCPA, and Basel III standards, incorporating Human-in-the-Loop systems • Document solutions, present technical findings, and facilitate knowledge sharing across teams • Manage the full AI lifecycle—from prototyping and production to monitoring and iterative improvement • Stay abreast of emerging AI techniques and integrate innovative solutions to enhance banking operations Benefits • Competitive employer contributions to medical, dental, and vision insurance • 401(k) plan with employer matching contributions • Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Dependent Care Accounts • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and mental health benefits through Teladoc • Access to Calm subscription for wellness and